Wyoming’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate has remained low for many months now while job growth has been steady. From the second quarter of 2017 to the second quarter of 2018, employment in the state rose by 2271 jobs, and payroll increased by $115.6 million. The highest growth was in the mining sector including oil and gas, but there was also appreciable growth in the areas of accommodation and food services. Areas that saw a decrease in employment from the second quarter of 2017 included schools, colleges and hospitals, state government and retail trade. Teton County’s employment increased by 1.7% and payroll in the county rose by $10.6-million. Not surprisingly, the biggest growth was in the areas of accommodation, food services and retail trade. Growth was also seen in arts and entertainment, recreation and real estate, but employment declined in construction. While the full report for the third quarter is not yet ready, the Wyoming Department of Workforce Services says the state economy grew during that period as well with more jobs and increased payroll.
